zxcvbob wrote on 02 Nov 2006 in rec.food.cooking

> aem wrote:
> > pamjd wrote:
> >> The older models work best if you put a small amount of water. (4
> >> cups or so) between the liner and the roaster if this modelof
> >> roaster has a removable liner. [snip]
> >
> > This sounds unlikely to me. Assuming there's a place for that water
> > to go that won't mess up the appliance it would convert the roaster
> > to a steamer, wouldn't it? Roasting is dry heat, pretty much by
> > definition, so I don't see how generating steam can be a good thing.
> > -aem
> >
>
>
> When I volunteered at a soup kitchen a couple of times 2 years ago (I
> really need to do that again) we cooked a lot of things in electric
> roasters. The lady who ran the kitchen had us put a little water
> between the roaster and the lift-out liner for a lot of things. It
> greatly increased the heat transfer. The food still cooked with dry
> heat, but it was limited to about 212 degrees by the boiling water.
> Without the water, the inner liner could theoretically cook at quite a
> bit higher temperature, but we had them so full the food never had a
> chance to roast at 350. (A typical roaster would be full of scalloped
> potatoes to serve 50)
>
> I have a big roaster that I use use to roast turkeys and briskets and
> hams, and I never put water in the outer jacket. If I was using it to
> cook 15 pounds of potatoes and needed them done in an hour, I might
> use the water.
>
> Bob
>

My 22 qt roaster came with a 3 canister steam table attachment. You put
water in the roaster and then added the steam table gizmo assembly...
turning the roaster into a keep warm dealie with 3 containers. My guess
is good for keeping food warm for fair sized groups. Last I used mine was
(2003) when my office moved to a new building and we fed around 100 at a
changing buildings party. Mine was 1 roaster of many roasters full of
things like soup, veggies, mashed spuds, rice, lumpia and chicken wings.
I retired it to my Daughter's house this year as she does the family
feasts now, if I need it I can get it from her. But she does more large
group cooking than I do these days.